Door closer or the like



Feb. 18,1958

Filed June 23, 1953 2 Sheets -Shet 1 FIG' y 20 9 26: 20g 1 I :14 2,1. 'J

26 6 36 13 4' 5-,; 36& I

g i 35 3 "f 16' 26a I Q ----"14' 2 26c 16 2 15 17 299 5 .29 26c3 I 28a 38 16 38 27 I 26; 16 a?! 28 33 f p 26c 260 2 9 SQ" j J Q/Zb ATTORNEY Feb. 18, 1958 K. M. STEWART DOOR CLOSER OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23. 1953 FIG.5.

FIG. 4.

FIG. 61

' 44$ ATTORNEY United States Patent DOOR CLOSER OR THE LIKE Kenneth M. Stewart, Maysville, Ky.

Application June 23, 1953, Serial No. 363,465

3 Claims. (Cl. 16-76) My invention relates to improvements in door closers or the like, and it has for its primary object to provide a device for the purpose specified which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and highly efficient in practical use whether employed in small sizes for medicine cabinet doors, for instance, or in large sizes for heavy doors, gates, and the like.

More specifically stated, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind embodying a novel arrangement of an actuator arm and spring actuating means therefor which not only admits of ready replacement of the spring means when broken, but also enables the spring pressure applied to the actuating arm to be varied when desired to avoid slamming of the door to which the device is applied.

Additionally, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel arrangement of base plate-carried bearings and spring actuating means for an actuating or door controlling arm wherein the bearings cooperate to maintain operative engagement of the spring control means with the door actuating arm or arms.

The invention also resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts, as will be understood and appreciated upon reference to the accompanying drawings in connection with the detailed description thereof appearing hereinafter.

Although I have illustrated my invention in several of its now preferred forms, it is to be understood that it is susceptible of other mechanical expressions within the spirit and scope of the subject matter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts throughout the several views- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a door and jamb and illustrating one form of my invention mounted on the jamb;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a door and jamb and showing a slightly modified form of the invention, also mounted on the jamb;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the door closer of that figure mounted on the door instead of the jamb;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form of. the invention intended for use in connection with heavy doors, gates, etc.;

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail taken on the line 7-7.of Fig. 6; and I Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters and turning to Figs. 1-5, inclusive, it will be noted that the device comprises a base plate 13 having holes '14 therethrough for the screw" which are employed for mounttil til

ing the base plate on the door jamb 11 as in Figs. 1 and 2, or on the door 12 as in Figs. 3 and 5.

It should be understood, at the outset, that the device of Fig. l dilfers from that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 only in that its arms 21 carry the buffer 25 at their outer ends instead of the chain 30 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 as carried by corresponding arms 28.

Thus, the device of Fig. 1 and the device of Figs. 2 and 3 disclose the base plate 13 as having its forward edge 13a provided with laterally spaced forwardly extending fingers 16 which are curved rearwardly in the arc of a circle to provide aligned bearings for the shaft 17, the ends 16a of the fingers 16 engaging the origin point of the latter adjacent the forward edge 13a of the base plate. Thus, the finger-provided shaft bearings 16 project forwardly of the base plate 13 and may be described as exteriorly tangent to the plane of the top surface of the base plate for a purpose which will be better understood as the description proceeds. The provision of the finger-provided shaft bearings 16 en: ables the plate with said hearings to be made as a stamp ing, thus effecting economy in manufacture.

The shaft 17 mounted in the finger-provided bearings. 1% serves to pivotally mount the bearing ends 20 of-the arms 21 of Fig. 1 or the bearing ends 29 of the corresponding arms 28 of Figs. 2 and 3 which function as the actuating means for the door or other closure with which the device is associated. One end of the shaft 17 is headed as indicated at 17a while the other end has the transverse hole 18 which receives the cotter pin 19 for retaining the shaft in place.

The door actuating arms 21 of Fig. 1 have inward otfsets 20a extending from the bearing ends 26, and the corresponding arms 28 of Figs. 2 and 3 have correspond: ing oflsets 28a so as to provide seating portions for the arm actuating terminals 26b of coil springs 26 which will be referred to shortly.

As heretofore noted, the device of Fig. 1 has the door engaging bufier 25 carried at the outer ends of the arms 21 which are inturned to enter the central longitudinal bore of said buffer 25, which bore is indicated at 24. The device of Fig. 1 is intended to be mounted on the jarnb 11 to engage an outwardly opening door 12, as for instance a screen door or a storm door.

On the other hand, the device as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is intended to be located on the interior surface of a door jamb 11 or on the inner surface of an outwardly opening door such as, for instance, a medicine cabinet door or a closet door. Thus, the installations of Figs. 2 and 3 will be entirely concealed except for brief periods when the associated door is open. I

When the device of Fig. 3 is applied, for instance, to a swingably mounted outwardly opening medicine cabinet door, the base plate 13 is secured to the inner surface thereof adjacent its hinged edge with arms 23 directed toward the opposite free door edge and spring-urged against said inner door surface. The free end of chain 30 is then secured to the side of the door jamb so as to be taut when the door is closed. This means that opening of the door results in inward swinging of the arms 28 against the action of coil springs 26, and that when the opened door is released the device will return it to closed position.

As has been noted earlier herein, the device of Fig. l and that of Figs. 2 and 3 are identical except for the actu ating arms and what they carry. Thus, the door act uating arms 28, Figs. 2 and 3, have the shaft-carried bearings 29 and said arms have the inwardly offset portions 28a extending from said bearings for engagement by the spring terminals 26b. These arms 28 have their outer ends connected by the bight portion 27 as shown which carries the chain 38' whose outer end has the anchor 'pin or the like 31 which is adapted for engagement with either the door or the jamb as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

Incidental reference has been made earlier herein to the coil springs 26 and these are shown as mounted on the shaft 17 at opposite sides of the central finger-provided bearing 16 and between the same and the adjacent one of outer bearings 16.

Each spring has a rearwardly extending terminal 26:: overlying the outer surface of the base plate 13 and the other tensioning terminal 26b of each spring extends forwardly alongside the adjacent actuator arm 21 or 23 as the case may be. The tensioning terminals 26b have hook-like offsets 260 for engagement with the actuator arm offsets 28a (Figs. 2 and 3) or a of Fig. 1.

The arrangement of springs 26 is such that either one can be readily replaced when broken by simply removing the shaft 17. Another important point in reference to the coil springs 26 is that the pressure applied to the actuator arms can be varied when desired. Thus, if the device closes the associated door too abruptly, one spring tensioning arm or terminal 26b can be disengaged from the related door actuated arm; and this can be accomplished without compressing the spring or actuating it axially of. shaft 17.

Referring to Fig. 1, since the arms 21 are connected only by the buffer at their outer ends, the chain connection 21a may be employed for retaining said arms 21 against outward movement.

The further form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 68, inclusive is intended for very heavy doors, gates, or the like, and will be installed either on the gate post or door jamb as suggested in Fig. 2, or on the door or gate as indicated in Fig. 3.

Turning to Fig. 6, it will be seen that same comprises the base plate 32 with the integral finger-provided bearings 35 and 350 corresponding to the finger-provided bearings 16 of the earlier described form of the invention, such bearings 35 and 35a projecting from the forward edge 32a of the base plate 32. i

The base plate 32 is secured in place by screws extending through transverse holes 33 in said plate.

In carrying out the invention according to Figs. 6-8, inclusive, a pair of outer actuator arms 36 are employed in association with a pair of laterally spaced inner arms 37. The arms 36, 37 are connected at their outer ends and there is provided the eye 38 at such point for attachment of the chain 39 whose terminal has the door or jamb engaging pin or the like 39a corresponding to anchor pin 31 of Figs. 2 and 3. A shaft 40, headed as at 40a and corresponding to the shaft 17 of Fig. 1, extends through the bearings 35 and 35a and the sleeve terminals 36a, 37a at the inner ends of the respective arms 36, 37.

The sleeve terminals 36a of the outer arms 36 are short as shown, one of same being interposed between the head 40a of the shaft 40 and the adjacent bearing 35, while the H other sleeve terminal 36:! is interposed between the shaft retaining cotter pin 41 and the adjacent bearing 35a.

The sleeve terminals of the intermediate arms 37 are elongated as shown and said arms are secured to said sleeves 37a intermediate the ends thereof. The ends of the bearing sleeves 37a engage the opposite sides of the intermediate bearing 35:: of the plate 32 and the respective outer bearings 35 and 35a so that there will be no tendency for endwise movement of the sleeves when installed as indicated in Fig. 6.

A plurality of coil springs 42 corresponding to the coil springs 26 of Fig. l are employed in the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 643, inclusive, but instead of being immediately adjacent the pivot shaft as in Fig. 1 the coil springs 42 of Figs. 6-8, inclusive are carried by the sleeves 37a, 37a of the intermediate arms 37 at opposite sides of said arms. Thus, the sleeves 37a carrying the arms 37 can be. assembled with the springs 42 before the sleeves 37:: are mounted on the shaft 40. And, of course, the springs can be removed with the arm-carrying sleeves 379.

Each of the springs 42 has a tensioning terminal 42:: engaging the outer surface of the base plate 32 and likewise the forwardly extending laterally offset tensioning terminal 42a for engagement with the adjacent arm 36 or 37, as the case may be.

Endwise movement of the springs 42 is prevented by the proximity of the bearings 35 or 350 and the arms 36 or 37a, as will be appreciated.

In reference to the device of Figs. 6-8, inclusive, it will be noted that the arms 36, 37 converge into the path of the related spring tensioning terminal 42:: so as to facilitate engagement of said spring terminals with said arms and also make accidental separation of said parts unlikely.

The illustration of Figs. 6-8, inclusive, makes it clear that the actuating pressure applied to the arm assembly for closing the gate or door can be varied within wide limits by engaging less than the total number of spring tensioning arms 42a with the associated arms 36, 37.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a door closer or the like for mounting on a door member or the jamb member of its frame, and comprising a base plate having a forward edge and adapted to be secured to one of said door and jamb members, a plurality of laterally spaced and aligned bearings carried by said base plate and substantially tangent to the plane of the outer surface of the latter, said bearings disposed substantially entirely beyond said forward edge of said base plate, laterally spaced actuator arms interconnected at their outer ends and means carried by said outer arm ends for establishing an operative connection with the other of said door and jamb members, the actuator arms having aligned bearings at their inner ends, and a shaft projected through said plate and arm bearings and pivotally securing said actuator arms to said base plate; in combination with a plurality of coil springs spaced in the direction of the length of said shaft and surrounding the same, each of said coil springs having a forwardly extending and a rearwardly extending tensioning terminal located at opposite ends thereof, the rearwardly extending spring terminals engaging the outer surface of the base plate, each of the forwardly extending spring terminals disposed alongside one of said actuator arms and each of the latter having a portion inclined toward the axis of the related spring terminal, each of the forwardly extending spring terminals having a hook-like oifset detachably engageable with the outer edge of the adjacent inwardly inclined arm portion, whereby to normally tend to swing said connected actuator arms inwardly toward the forward edge of said base plate, at least one of said plate-provided bearings engaging the coiled rear terminal-providing end of an adjacent coil spring to prevent axial shifting of the opposite coiled end thereof away from the related actuator arm, whereby to prevent accidental disengagement of its forwardly extending tensioning terminal therefrom, said forwardly extending arm-engaging spring terminals being independently engageable with or disengageable from related actuator arms without compressing or actuating said springs axially of said shaft, stop means at opposite ends of said shaft for limiting outward movement of adjacent actuator arm bearings, and one of said stop means being removable to admit of endwise withdrawal of said shaft from said plate and actuator arm-provided bearings.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1, and there being a pair of outer actuator arms and a pair of inner actuator arms, the bearings of said inner actuator arms comprising elongated sleeves having their opposite ends bearing against adjacent ones of said plate-carried bearings to prevent axial shifting on said shaft, and said coil springs mounted on said sleeves whereby to be removable as a unit with said sleeve and arm assemblies when the removable shaft-carried stop means has been removed and the shaft has been withdrawn from said plate bearings.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1, and there being a pair of outer actuator arms and a pair of inner actuator arms, the bearings of said inner arms comprising elongated sleeves and said inner arms connected to said sleeves approximately midway the length of the latter, opposite ends of said sleeves bearing against adjacent ones of said plate-carried bearings to prevent axial shifting on said shaft, and said coil springs disposed on said sleeves at opposite sides of said inner arms and between adjacent ones of said plate-carried bearings whereby to be removable as a unit with said arm and sleeve assemblies when the removable shaft-carried stop means has been removed and the shaft has been withdrawn from said plate bearings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

